Heavy rains since the late night of August 16 caused traffic jams and difficulties for commuters in Yangon city with some roads and streets still in flood although rains stopped this afternoon, according to local sources.

Most of the townships in Yangon have been in flood causing traffic congestion during rush hours.

Social aid organizations distributed food packages to some flood victims.    

“We have been in food due to the rains since last night. This morning I woke up to see my water in my house,” said a resident in North Dagon Township.

Local residents including commuters and shopkeepers had find difficulty going round in the city as many townships such as Thakayta, North Dagon, Insein, Mingalar Taung Nyunt, Tamway, South Oakkalapa, South Dagon, Mingaladon, Mayangon and Hline were flooded this morning.

A resident in Thingangyun said: “We were stranded in the floods and traffic jams at Waizayanta Road traffic lights. Cars could not move. We had to take about one hour to move a bit further.”

According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Monsoon was strong to vigorous over the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. Consequently, rain or thundershowers had been isolated in Upper Sagaing Region and Chin State, scattered in Magway Region and Kachin, (Northern and Eastern)Shan States, fairly widespread  in  Naypyitaw, Lower  Sagaing, Mandalay Regions and Rakhine State and widespread in the remaining Regions and States with regionally heavyfalls in Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Taninthayi Regions and Rakhine, Kayin, Mon States and isolated heavyfalls in Bago Region.

Occasional squalls with rough seas would be experienced off and along Myanmar Coasts. Surface wind speed in squalls may reach (40) mph. Wave height would be about (9-12) feet off and along Myanmar Coasts, the DMH reported.